Typical crude oils can contain about 0.5 to 10 ppb of mercury. Some hydrocarbon condensates from natural gas production contain higher levels of mercury. For example, the mercury content in the condensate from gas fields in Indonesia and Algeria have been found to be as high as 100 to 300 ppb. These high levels of mercury in crude oil can cause problems in processing steps. The accidental release and spill of accumulated mercury can lead to safety hazards. The release of mercury by the combustion of mercury-contaminated hydrocarbons poses environmental concerns.
The contact of mercury-contaminated condensate and other liquid hydrocarbons with certain aluminum processing equipment presents additional problems of equipment deterioration and damage. This results from the cumulative damaging effect of the mercury as it amalgamates with and corrodes the equipment. This is particularly true in low-temperature processing of hydrocarbon gases and liquids.
A primary object of this invention, accordingly, is to reduce the concentrations of mercury and its compounds present in hydrocarbon liquids, gas condensate, crude oil, and the like to levels where they are undetectable or at least non-threatening. Another object of this invention is to minimize or eliminate the emission of mercury into the atmosphere. Still another object of this invention is to achieve these reductions of mercury levels utilizing commercially available equipment which can be easily incorporated into current production systems.